My wife often chides me to do one thing and do it well. In my heart I know she is right but I see so many things that need to be done and I am fully capable of accomplishing each and every one of them. As a full time pastor it always started out with the primary focus being youth ministry. I loved it, I succeeded in those relationships and I believe many would say God used me in their lives… but that would inevitably lead to other strategies the church had and so Men’s ministries would pop its way in. Outreach was always something I had a heart for and so I off I would go on another trail to spearhead strategies to pull that off in a larger way. I am relational so hospital visitations were a large part of what I would do and Mandi and I constantly have people to our house to get acquainted with them. Leading the services, I tended to be good up front so I would give announcements and tended to be the face of many ministry endeavors. People say, “Pastor Brian, if someone in leadership like you would put their face to this program or ministry, it would have a greater chance of succeeding – and if I didn’t it was like I did not care about their cause and they would feel disappointed or let down. We can’t let them down now, can we? So another endeavor takes our time.
On and on it went until we felt God calling us to a new ministry. Finally, to be able to focus on just one thing and make it succeed would be such a relief, until… The umbrella is one ministry but there are four ministries under that umbrella that need constant tending and each of the ministries are fully capable of being more successful and impacting on their own. Aaah, the strains start all over again. Seeing this that can be done and that that can be accomplished. There is no end to the task and the needs are great. I feel God keeps showing me new opportunities and at each I have the desire to jump at them for the cause of Christ. I want to make a difference in my community so I jump in to make relationships and do things like coach pee wee, but again it causes a time and effect balance of negotiating. I like to dream and think, “I can do that…”
Then my wife sends me this from Oswald Chambers: “Daydreaming about something in order to do it properly is right, but daydreaming about it when we should be doing it is wrong. God will take the initiative against this kind of daydreaming by prodding us to action. Allow Him to be the source of all your dreams, joys, and delights, and be careful to and obey what He has said. Daydreaming after God has spoken is an indication that we do not trust Him.” My problem is not daydreaming – my problem is wanting to jump everywhere I believe God is working and I see Him working all over the place.
Anyone want to jump with me?
GateKeepers Ministries 